Radio socket



Max 19, mm A. J. SCHMITT 2,1939% RADIO SOC KET Original Filed on. 26, 1936 Patented Mar. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES RADIO SOCKET Arthur J. Schmitt, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 26, 1936, Serial No. 107,526 Renewed August 7, 1939 s Claims.

cured interchangeably on the chassis of a radio receiving set.

In my pending application, Serial Number 629,186, filed August 17, 1932, now Patent No.

2,087,784 granted July 20, 1937, I have shown a disk-shaped socket with self-retaining contact springs, and a locking ring for securing the socket to a chassis. One object of the present invention is to make certain-improvements in the socket and contact springs of my pending application, and at the same time, provide the standard means for connecting it to a chassis.

A second object is to reduce the contact devices to thin flat pieces of metal which may be less than one inch long, which will make a superior form of electrical connection with a tube prong, and which will be retained in position without the use or application of any extra part or piece.

from the description.

In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete device at about full size; 1 Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 22 of Fig. '7, and showing the contacts in elevation;-

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a contact in place; Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is the same as Fig. 4, but with a tube prong inserted between the legs-of the contact device;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the metal plate upon which the contact holder is molded;

Fig. '7 is a plan of the. device complete; and Fig. 8 is a bottom view.

.In the said drawing, III is a thick disk of phenolic resin commonly called Bakelite. In the center of the disk, is an axial opening II. This opening is to receive a guiding projection on the bottom of the tube base, and has a keyway II' to receive a corresponding key on that projection. The object is to bring about a proper rotative location of tube to socket.

About midway between the opening I I and the periphery of the disk I0, is a ring of round, in this instance openings I2 to receive the prongs of a vacuum tube. These openings extend inward from the uppersurface of the disk, but do not go clear through. The limit is in the shoulders I3 of Figs. 2 and 3. At inclines, as shown Other objects will become evident inFig. '7, these circular openings have slotshaped lateral extensions I4 which extend down toshoulders I3. The lateral slots also extend centrally through to bottom face of the disk I0, but are a little narrower under the circular 5 openings than at the sides thereof.

The contact devices are punched from sheet metal, preferably bronze, which have a thickness equal to about one-fifth of the diameter of the tube prongs with which they are to make electrical connection. This bronze is somewhat resilient, but, if bent beyond its elastic limit, will take a set, but will not break by any or-- dinary bending. The shape as illustrated in Fig. 3 is better than any description. At the center of its length, the contact device has a width which is or may be a little more than twice the diameter of the tube prong. Below the center, the width is about equal to the prong diameter. This leaves shoulders I5 which rest on shoulders I3. Above the shoulders I5, the contact device tapers to a little less width than at the shoulders, and this tapered portion is divided'into two legs I 'I by slot I 6. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, further down below the center of the contact device the tongue or lower part I9 widens out below the reduced portion immediately below the shoulders I5.

The transverse width of the slots I4 in the disk or holder I0 is about twice the thickness of the metal which is used to form the contacts, and the slots I6 in the contact devices are considerably less than the diameter of the tube prong which is to be inserted between those legs. Also, the distance across the faces of a leg of a contact device is much greater than the thickness of the metal from which the contact device is made. As a consequence, when a tube prong I8 is pushed downward between the legs I 1, those legs will yield by twisting as shown in Fig. 5, and not, by spreading. This twisting of the legs I I brings the prong I8 between two diagonally opposite sharp corners 'on the legs, and pushing a tube prong down between two such sharp corners makes a scratch contact and consequently a better electrical connection than can be made by pressingit against fiat surfaces. The ends of the slots I4 desirably limit the spreading action of the legs and cooperate to cause the twisting action referred to.

The contact devices are pushed into. the openings I 2- from above-until the shoulders I5 rest on the shoulders I3. Then, by bending or twisting the lower part I9 laterally, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, a lower shoulder is provided and they are secured in place without the provision of holding means for that purpose, or they may be secured by merely twisting part l9.

The disk-shaped holder [0 is formed by molding under heat and pressure, and all openings in the holder are formed at the same time. Also, the plate 2|], of the usual diamond-shape form, is placed in the mold cavity and the holder is molded upon and solid therewith. The plate 20 has a small recess 2| into which the material of the holder flows and prevents displacement of holder rotatively with respect to the usual rivet holes 22.

The drawing illustrates a socket for receiving a tube having eight prongs. By making the contacts flat pieces of thin metal," and by putting the contact receiving slots at an incline to radial lines, the holder It] may be only slightly more than an inch in diameter, and the entir device correspondingly small.

It is to be noted that the contact holder in is a single piece of material, and not a plurality of pieces secured together. Also, that the holder is molded upon the securing plate.20, with the result that no mechanical labor or parts are required in securing the two together.

It is further to be noted that the contact devices are plain flat fork-shaped pieces of thin metal having two legs and a handle part in a single plane upon which no mechanical work is performed other than that of punching them from sheet metal. Also, that they are retained in place in the holder without the use of securing devices or spring action. The part i9 is provided with holes for the connection of wires, and any bending or twisting of this part after the shoulders l5 and I3 are in contact with each other will serve to retain the contact device in position.

As mentioned before, the transverse width of the slots I4 is about twice the thickness of the metal contact placed therein. This width is sufiicient to allow the legs to spread by twisting upon the insertion of a tube prong, but the width of the slot is not enough to permit a set to occur in the legs to accidental bending or twisting.

What I claim is:

1. A radio tube socket of the class described embodying a relatively thick disk of insulating material having an annular series of openings extending axially therethrough, each opening being somewhat cylindrical at'its upper end to receive somewhat snugly a prong of a radio tube or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the cylindrical portion to the under side of the disk, each opening having slot-like lateral extensions of the cylindrical part of the opening arranged in a common plane bisecting the cylindrical part of said opening and extending through the disk to said slot in the plane of the slot, and a onepiece sheet metal contact member received in said opening through the upper end thereof and having a shoulder engaging the shoulder in the opening to limit downward movement of the contact member therein, said contact member having a flat portion extending in said plane of and received in said extensions in assembly, said contact member having laterally opposite resilient portions within the opening above said shoulder and said fiat portion being continued downwardly through the said slot and being adapted to be thereafter bent below said slot to retain the contact in the opening and forming an integral wiring terminal member, the said plane for each opening being arranged with reference to a radius of the socket passing through the center of said opening other than at a rightangle thereto to provide a maximum of spacing of the contact members.

2. A radio tube socket of the class described embodying a relatively thick disk of insulating material having an opening extending axially therethrough, said opening being somewhat cylindrical at its upper end to receive a prong of a radio tube or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the cylindrical portion to the under side of the disk, said opening having slot-like lateral extensions of the cylindrical part of the opening arranged in a common plane bisecting the cylindrical part of said opening and extending through the disk to said slot in the plane of the slot, and a onepiece sheet metal contact member received in said opening through the upper end thereof and having a shoulder engaging the shoulder in the opening to limit downward movement of the contact member therein, said contact member having a fiat portion extending in the said plane and received in said extensions in assembly, said contact member having laterally opposite resilient portions within the opening above said shoulder and said flat portion being continued downwardly through the said slot and being adapted to be thereafter bent below said slot to retain the contact in the opening and forming an integral wiring terminal portion of the contact member.

3. A socket of the class described embodying a relatively thick body of insulating material having an opening extending axially therethrough, said opening being enlarged at its upper end to receive a prong or a radio device or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the enlarged portion to the under side of the body, said opening having a slot-like lateral extension of the enlarged part of the opening arranged in a plane transversely intersecting the enlarged part of said opening and extending through the body to said slot in the plane of the slot, and a oneplece sheet metal contact member received in said opening through the upper end thereof and having a shoulder engaging the shoulder in the opening to limit downward movement of the contact member therein, said contact member having a fiat portion extending in the said plane and received in said extension in assembly, said contact member having a resilient portion within the opening above said shoulder and said flat portion being continued downwardly through the said slot and being adapted to be thereafter bent below said slot to retain the contact in the opening and forming an integral wiring terminal portion of the contact member.

4. A socket of the class described embodying a relatively thick body of insulating material having an annular series of openings extending axially therethrough, each opening being enlargedat its upper end to receive somewhat snugly a prong of a radio device or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the enlarged portion to the under side of the disk, each opening having slot-like lateral extensions of the enlarged part of the opening arranged in a plane bisecting the enlarged part of said opening and extending through the body to said slot in the plane of the slot, the said plane for each opening being arranged with reference to a radius of the socket passing through the center of said opening other than at a right-angle thereto to provide a maximum of spacing of the openings, and metallic contact members retained in said openings.

5. A socket of the class described embodying a relativelythick body of insulating material having an opening extending axially therethrough, said opening being enlarged at its upper end to somewhat snugly receive a prong of a radio device or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the enlarged portion to the under side of the disk, said opening having a slot-like lateral extension of the enlarged part of the opening arranged in a plane intersecting the enlarged part of said opening and extending through the body to said slot in the plane of the slot, and a metallic contact member retained in said opening.

6. A socket of theclass described embodying a relatively thick body of insulating material having an opening extending axially therethrough,- said opening being enlarged at its upper end to somewhat snugly receive a prong of a radio device or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, the lower end of the opening being reduced to a slot leading from the enlarged portion to the under side of the body, said opening having slot-like lateral extensions of the enlarged part of said opening, and a one-piece sheet metal contact member received in said opening through the upper end thereof and having a shoulder engaging the shoulder in the opening to limit downward movement of the contact member therein, said contact member being of flat fork-shape having two legs received in the said lateral extensions and a reduced handle part all in a substantially single plane, the legs being closer together at their extremities than where they join the handle part to receive the prong frictionally therebetween, the metal of the contact member being of markedly less thickness than the width of a leg, whereby said handle is readily bendable and said legs will spread by a resilient twisting action when the prong is forced therebetween, said handle part passing through the said slot and being thereafter bendable to retain the contact member in the body and forming an integral wiring terminal portion.

7. A radio tube socket of the class described embodying a relatively thick disk of insulating material having an opening, extending axially therethrough, said opening being cylindrical at its upper end to receive somewhat snugly a prong of a radio tube or the like and having an upwardly facing shoulder therein, said opening having slot-like lateral extensions of the cylindrical part of said opening, and a one-piece sheet metal contact member received in said opening through the upper end thereof and havinga shoulder engaging the shoulder in the opening to limit downward movement of the contact member therein, said contact member being of flat fork-shape having two legs and a reduced handle part, the legs being closer together at their extremities than where they join the handle part to frictionally receive the tube prong therebetween, the legs being partially received in said extensions and the said handle part extending below the lower end of the disk and forming an integral wiring terminal portion, the said shoulders in the opening and on the contact member being provided respectivelyby the lower ends of the slot-like extensions and by the lower ends of the said legs.

8 In a radio socket embodying a molded insulating body of cylindrical formation having an annular series of parallel openings passing axially therethrough, the combination wherein each opening has a prong receiving portion open at the upper end of the body and'has a slot substantially narrower in diameter than the said prong receiving portion extending laterally therefrom in a direction inclined at approximately a forty-five degree angle to a radius passing through the center of the prong receiving portion, and wherein a one-piece sheet metal contact member having opposed resilient prong-engaging 'portions is received in each opening, said contact member having a laterally extended portion received in said slot, there being a shoulder in the opening spaced intermediately of the upper and lower end of the member engaging a shoulder on the member to prevent downward displacement of the contact member in the body, and the contact member and body having interengaging means preventing upward displacement of the contact member, whereby a maximum spacing of the annular series of contacts is provided for enhanced insulation therebetween.

ARTHUR J. SCHMITT. 

